Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is not expecting Clarke MacArthur to rejoin the club after failing his physical back in training camp.
MacArthur, however, remains under contract through 2019-20, meaning it's possible, albeit unlikely, that he could play in the future if medically cleared.
"Oh, I doubt that one," Dorion said on TSN Radio 1200 in regards to whether MacArthur will play this season. "He's moved to Florida, if I'm not mistaken. And after failing that medical... You know what, if he wants to come back next year and try, we'd definitely look at it."
Following a series of serious concussions, MacArthur was able to play late last season, recording three goals and six assists in 19 playoff games.
"Clarke was a big part of our playoff success, but I think health (and) family comes before hockey any day," Dorion added. "I couldn't be responsible for allowing him to play after doctors said that he failed his medical."
MacArthur, who carries a $4.65-million cap hit, is currently listed on long-term injured reserve.
The two teams unveiled their NHL 100 Classic jerseys Tuesday, giving fans a sneak peak of the threads the players will wear before the crowd at Ottawa's TD Place Stadium.
The NHL 100 Classic celebrates the league's centennial anniversary and is one of four outdoor games scheduled this season.
The Canadiens last played outdoors in the 2016 Winter Classic against the Boston Bruins in Foxborough, Mass., while the Senators faced off against the Vancouver Canucks at BC Place in the 2014 Heritage Classic.
Domingue, 25, was winless through seven games with Arizona this season, as he posted an .856 save percentage and 4.33 goals-against average.
His time in the desert came to a close following the Coyotes' acquisition of netminder Scott Wedgewood and Antti Raanta's return from injury.
Domingue is signed through the remainder of the season at a $1.05-million cap hit.
This season, Leighton and McGinn have suited up for the Lightning's minor-league affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. McGinn played for the Coyotes during the 2014-15 campaign.
No team lost more key players in the offseason than the Washington Capitals, and their defense has suffered as a result. In spite of this, netminder Braden Holtby continues to solidify himself as one of the game's elite goaltenders.
On the back end, the Caps lost Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner in free agency, while Nate Schmidt was plucked by Vegas in the expansion draft. To top it off, reliable veteran blue-liner Matt Niskanen has played just five games due to injury.
The salary cap didn't allow the Capitals to retool their blue line in free agency, and they've instead had to rely on unproven defensemen making close to the league minimum.
As a result, the Capitals have regressed defensively - in a big way:
Stat
'16-'17 Caps
'17-'18 Caps
SA/G
27.8 (4th-lowest)
32.9 (10th-most)
xGA/60
2.16 (8th-lowest)
2.52 (11th-most)
SCA/60
26.11 (16th-most)
31.02 (3rd-most)
HDCA/60
10.7 (10th-most)
12.94 (2nd-most)
SA/G = Shots against per game xGA/60 = expected goals against per 60 minutes (at five-on-five) SCA/60 = scoring chances against per 60 minutes (at five-on-five) HDCA/60 = high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes (at five-on-five)
For those who prefer a visual, the heat map below provides further evidence that Washington is allowing an abundance of shots from high-danger scoring areas, courtesy of Hockey Viz:
But even with plenty of regression and unfamiliarity in front of him, Holtby still owns a 10-3-0 record with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. The latter would be his best since his 12-game rookie season in 2010-11.
For comparison's sake, backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer registered a 2.17 goal-against average and a .922 save percentage over the past two seasons with back-to-back Presidents' Trophy-winning teams in front him. This season, however, he's stumbled out of the gate with an ugly 3.70 goals-against average and an .886 save percentage.
It's clear that Grubauer's numbers have taken a huge hit due to the team's defensive struggles, but Holtby's have not.
Holtby continued to prove his worth in the Caps' 2-1 win over the Oilers on Sunday. He was perfect in the shootout, after Washington was outshot 30-19 in the game.
And sure, he won the Vezina Trophy in 2015-16 and the Jennings Trophy in 2016-17, but it still feels as though he doesn't get the respect he deserves.
For the past two years, there would always be a "but" following any description of how good Holtby was: "He's a great goalie, but he has league's best team in front of him."
Now, with Washington's reign as the league's most dominant regular-season team seemingly in the rearview mirror, the hockey world can properly appreciate Holtby as one of the few elite goaltenders in the world.
The Montreal Canadiens goaltender is staying off the ice for a few days as his recovery from a lower-body injury has stagnated, according to TSN's John Lu.
He resumed skating last week and insists he'll soon be back in game action. Last week, coach Claude Julien made it clear it's not the same injury - an MCL sprain - that saw Price miss all but 12 games of the 2015-16 season.
On Tuesday, Price indicated the injury occurred in the pregame warmup prior to a Nov. 2 game against the Minnesota Wild. He played the entire game, allowing five goals on 26 shots, and hasn't appeared in the crease since.
Price originally anticipated he'd be back for Thursday's contest against the Arizona Coyotes, but his return date has been pushed back.
In his absence, the Canadiens have turned to 23-year-old Charlie Lindgren, who has posted a 3-1-0 record and .964 save percentage through four games.
The Habs are Niemi's third team of the 2017-18 campaign. He signed a one-year deal with the Penguins in the offseason, but was placed on waivers after just three games. He then had a two-game stint with the Panthers before being placed on waivers again.
His numbers this season aren't pretty. He owns a record of 0-4-0 with a 6.74 goals-against average and an .822 save percentage.
The move is the result of injuries to both Carey Price and Al Montoya. With Charlie Lindgren shining in the Habs' crease, though, it's doubtful Niemi will see much time in the net.
If Niemi does appear in a game for the Canadiens, he'll tie the NHL record for the most teams played for in one season by a goalie, per TSN's Kevin Gibson.
That appears to be the case for Paul Kariya, the former Anaheim Ducks star who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.
As part of the festivities, Kariya participated in Sunday's Legends Classic game. It was his first time in skates since his 2011 retirement, and it also marked the first time in many years that Kariya had come face to face with former New Jersey Devils captain Scott Stevens.
Stevens delivered a devastating hit on Kariya during the 2003 playoffs that left him motionless and spawned concussion concerns.
Remarkably, Kariya returned to the ice only minutes later and potted one of the biggest goals in Ducks history. Unfortunately, it's not something he recalls.
"I have no recollection of anything that happened before Game 6, (in) Game 6, Game 7 two days afterwards," Kariya told TSN's Michael Farber.
However, bygones appear to be bygones.
"That's the first time I saw (Stevens)," Kariya told Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. "Scott's a Hall of Fame player and one of the best defensemen of all time. Honored to be on the ice with him.
"When you see (the painful memories) and see what happened, anger isn't a strong enough word for what was going through me at that time. But, with most things, with time and perspective now it's seven years since I've retired. I don't look back."
There's nothing like waiting until the last minute.
On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafsrecalled forward Nikita Soshnikov from the AHL's Marlies, one day prior to when the Russian skater could exercise an opt-out clause in his contract to return to the KHL.
Soshnikov, 24, sits second in Marlies scoring this year, as he's collected five goals and seven assists in 14 games. He recorded nine points in 56 games with the Maple Leafs last season.
As an undrafted free agent, Soshnikov signed with Toronto in March 2015. Prior to coming to North America, he played two seasons with the KHL's Moscow Oblast Atlant, finishing the 2014-15 campaign with 32 points in 57 games.
Forward Frederik Gauthier was loaned to the Marlies in place of Soshnikov.
Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players, coaches and officials in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their career. This edition focuses on 6-foot-5 forward Peter Mahovlich, who won four Stanley Cups and was part of the star-studded Canadian team that prevailed in the 1972 Summit Series against Russia:
On what he remembers from his first NHL game:
The interesting part was that I was still playing junior hockey in Hamilton, and I was called into the office and the coach at the time said I'd be heading off to Boston to play in an NHL game, which was terrific.
We ended up winning 1-0; I can remember Jimmy Peters scoring the goal, and I had the assist on the only goal of the game. It was quite an experience. And then, of course, the next day I was right back in Hamilton.
But it was quite an experience to be in the same dressing room with Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio and Norm Ullman and Gary Bergman and Roger Crozier and so many other hockey players. It was a wonderful experience.
On his first NHL goal:
I remember I scored it against the Montreal Canadiens. But to actually remember what transpired ... I can't. Sometimes you're so excited that you sometimes can't recall the moment because you're so happy about it.
For me, that's exactly what happened. It wasn't like, "Gee, I scored a lot of goals, I can't remember that one." It's that I was so excited that I just can't remember it. It's an awful thing, isn't it? (laughs)
On when he knew he would stick in the NHL:
I can recall that first training camp; I had played three games the year before with Detroit. I went into training camp, and things were very positive. I ended up playing a lot with Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio, and I was very productive. It was probably the three games the previous season that set me on the path of a professional hockey player.
But with everything the way it was, it was still a six-team league at the time. Things didn't go as well as I wanted; I was in and out of the lineup, and then I got sent down to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League, and went on to win a Calder Cup there. So it was still a pretty exciting year for me.
Things never transpired the way I wanted in my three years in Detroit. Then, of course, I got to Montreal, and things really started to happen on a positive note for me in Montreal as far as my productivity went.
On being traded to the Canadiens in 1969:
So I get traded to Montreal ... I go into a situation where they had just won a Stanley Cup again. So I'm thinking, "How am I going to be part of this organization when I hadn't made the playoffs in three years in Detroit?"
My meeting with (Canadiens general manager) Sam Pollock, I remember it to this day. He said, "Peter, we traded for you because we felt that you could play for the Montreal Canadiens. We feel that there's something there that will flourish in Montreal." And that's exactly what happened.
I got called up (from the farm team) halfway through the year, played some games with the big club, stayed with them at the end of the year ... we ended up with 92 points and still missed the playoffs. And I'm thinking, "Oh my God, here I am ... they hadn't missed the playoffs in 20 years, and I get here and they miss the playoffs." (laughs)
On finishing fourth in the NHL in penalty minutes in his first full season:
I think when you're trying to prove something all the time, trying to establish yourself, you're always going to get tested.
At that time, my size was a positive thing for me on the ice. I was able to utilize it. And at that time, we all had what we called "the equalizer" - and that was our stick. In front of the net, the defensemen used to be able to cross-check you pretty good. And the thing was, those sticks didn't break!
There was a price you had to pay when you stood in front of the net or went into the corners. And consequently, if you retaliated, you would get a penalty. And back then, the thing that we feared the most was when the referee kept saying, "Let them go." And I'd say, "Get those damned linesmen in here!"
On living up to expectations as the younger brother of Frank Mahovlich:
I never felt any pressure from my parents, I never felt any pressure from my brother. Other people, like writers or fans, might have wanted more from me at times, because I was Frank's brother. But I never let that bother me because I was going to be who I was no matter what. And I ended up doing OK.
In my first Stanley Cup win in 1971, I think it was Game 6 ... we ended up killing penalties together. I scored a shorthanded goal; that felt tremendous at the time. Just the fact that I was able to play with my brother, to win that Stanley Cup, and then to be part of representing our country at the Summit Series, it was a tremendous thing.
On his interactions with officials:
The referees back then were great, because they talked to you. And you know what? Some of the things they would do or say would embarrass you, because they were right. They understood the game, they understood everybody was trying to get an edge. That's just the way it was.
I really liked Frank Udvari. Bill Friday was terrific. Linesman John D'Amico was a friend of mine, we used to work hockey schools together. The bad thing about John was, anytime I would get into an altercation, John would grab me, and put me in a bear hug, and that was it. And the other guy would get a few extra shots at me, which was OK, I guess. (laughs)
On how the Canadiens stayed motivated during their late-1970s dynasty:
In Montreal, it was always, "What have you done for me lately?" That was led by Sam Pollock; if you ever had to talk to Sam, it didn't matter who you were ... I honestly believe that even Jean Beliveau was a little afraid of Sam Pollock. And that's a big statement; that's how much persona Mr. Pollock had.
That was carried on by our coach, Scotty Bowman, who always found things to bring to the table to challenge us.
Whether it was getting to first place in our division, getting to first place in the league, beating somebody else's record, the goals for, the goals against, the goals differential ... everything was always pre-planned with Scotty. "Look, our penalty killing could be better. Philadelphia is really good at penalty killing. Let's see if we can do a better job there." He always had something.
On being traded out of Montreal in 1977:
Things had soured between Scotty and I; there were some issues. It was a mutual thing, me moving on. I don't look back. I would have liked to stay and win more Stanley Cups, but it was time for me to move, and I felt it was the best thing for my career and my family at the time.
On the time he came out of retirement for a one-game stint in 1985:
I was coaching the Toledo Goaldiggers in the old International Hockey League. We were underfinanced; our budget was such that we only had 15 skaters and two goaltenders. One night we had an injury, so we were down to 14, and then we had another injury, so we were down to 13. So I said, "I'll go out and play. I'll just play defense." (laughs)
Don Murdoch came out of retirement, too, and played with me. It was fun. I got to play some games (Mahovlich ended up with 14 points in 23 games). The owner, who I really liked, he didn't ask me to play, but I said, "You know what? I can do it. It will save us some salary, and help us out." And it did. And I only had three fights that year. (laughs)
On his memories of the Summit Series:
It's not one defining moment for me. How do you treasure a goal here or there when I can treasure the friendships every time I see these guys? That's more important to me. Every time I see Serge Savard or Yvan Cournoyer or Guy Lapointe or Phil Esposito, it's special.
A group of us went over to Russia for the 45th anniversary. And here's what happened: we were supposed to go over there for Sept. 1, 2, and 3. We got a phone call asking us to postpone it to the 12th, 13th, and 14th. And this affected a few players because their plans had to be changed.
The reason the Russians wanted to change it was that Vladimir Putin wanted to be involved. So we actually went to Sochi after we landed in Moscow, and we had dinner with Mr. Putin. They honored us. That series was probably more important to them than any gold medal that they ever won.
The games say that we won - but they didn't lose. They also won, because everybody said they wouldn't be competitive. And we didn't know. But they were competitive. They proved it.
We as a group were inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame as a team; I think we're still the only team to be inducted. In my heart, in my mind, I wish they would induct the Russian team as well. You can't be a great team unless you have a great opponent. And they were a great opponent.
__________
Rapid Fire
Best goalies he ever faced: Bernie Parent and Terry Sawchuk
Biggest influence on him as a player: His brother
Favorite coaches of all time: Mr. Bosworth (his peewee coach), Al MacNeil, Fernie Flaman
Favorite visiting arenas: Boston Garden and Chicago Stadium
__________
Fact File
Born: Oct. 10, 1946, Timmins, ON
Drafted: First round (2nd overall), 1963, Detroit Red Wings
Teams: Detroit Red Wings (1965-69, 1979-81), Montreal Canadiens (1969-78), Pittsburgh Penguins (1977-79)
Awards: Stanley Cup (1970-71, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1976-77)
